Page 23 of The Attercop

“No. I don’t even know how she would begin to find me. We moved to a different house a long time ago and we have an unlisted phone number. And just to be safe, the people where Daddy works have been told to never reveal where we live, even if someone says they’re related to us. Daddy’s convinced that if the personality named Gloria finds me and can get me alone…well, she’ll kill me.”

“Do you have a picture of your mother?” Declan asked.

“Ah…not on me, but I can send you an old one. And one of Gloria, as well.”

“They look different from one another?” Charlie asked.

“Like night and day. Gloria wears a jet-black wig and tons of makeup. She also wears brightly patterned clothes. Mom—that’s Sandra—is blonde and always dresses in muted colours. Of course, she’s probably changed her look by now.”

Charlie watched Declan. He seemed transfixed. Not by Jules, but by the story. He didn’t think Declan had ever had a case anything like this before.

“Has your dad ever hired protection for you before?” Declan asked.

“No. It’s just that with him out of town…he wanted me to stay in the house until he gets back next month. This week Dad’s got a work colleague staying with me, but it’s my first year of university and next week I want to move into the dorms. The first month is the fun bit. You know—all of the parties. We fought about it, but I explained I’ll be surrounded by people all the time there. He would only agree if someone like you was looking out for me. Particularly if I’m going out somewhere off campus. He wanted me to meet with you to see if I felt comfortable having you as my…protection.”

“And do you feel comfortable?” Charlie asked.

She turned to the dog. “What do you think? Can these guys be trusted?”

The dog barked and Jules laughed. “Well, I guess that settles it. You will both do fine. Do whatever you need to do and Daddy will send you whatever payment is owed.”

Declan shrugged. “Good. I’ll have our office manager send the contract for our services to your father at his email address.”

Jules rose. “So, is there anything else you need from me?”

“Yes,” Charlie said. “Can I have GPS access to your phone tracking? That way I’ll know where you are at all times.”

“Sure,” she said, hesitantly.

“What kind of phone do you have?”

“The latest iPhone,” she replied.

“May I?” Charlie asked, holding out his hand. “And can you unlock it please?”

Jules pressed her finger against the screen and passed it over to him.

Charlie quickly accessed the phone’s settings and activated both Find My Phone, Find My Network and Send Last Location. “I promise to only use this in case of an emergency.”

“In the meantime,” Declan asked, “do you need around-the-clock protection or do you just want to do check-ins?”

“Well, I think it’s a lot to ask for you to be there all the time. This week I’ve got Daddy’s colleague looking out for me, but maybe when I start my move this weekend, we can work out how much time you have to be around. Of course, I don’t expect you to be there twenty-four hours a day, but maybe at times where I might be more vulnerable, like when I’m out of class. Unless, of course, I’m…doing something personal, if you know what I mean.”

“Don’t worry. We’re not doing any of this to spy on you,” Charlie reassured her. “For now, we can arrange for regular check-ins. If you miss one, I can give you a call on your cell. You’ll respond with a code word, then we’ll know you’re okay. Now, in cases where you might find yourself in large crowds—a football game, maybe, or a large party…it might be best if we provide you with a date who can offer protection if needed.”

Jules pointed to Declan. “Him?”

Charlie shrugged. “I was talking about me. I’m more familiar with the university, and I’d probably blend in a little better.”

“I see,” she replied.

Declan interjected, “If you have any doubts about Charlie, I’ve seen him deal with attackers before. You’ll be in good hands.”

Declan leaned toward her. “Are you feeling worried about this?”

She shrugged. “Not as worried as Daddy. I don’t know why my mother would come after me now. It’s been a really long time.”

“Well, just in case, when the time’s right, we’ll get Charlie to set you up with any safety equipment you might need for your dorm room. Don’t worry, no cameras, just sensors and panic buttons.”